Foot-throttle-controlling mechanism for automobiles



P. A. MEANS FOOT THROTLE CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. s. 1925 qcm.

Dec. 18, 1923.

wiz/'Zawssf Patented Dec. lg, 1923.

PHILIP A. MEANS, OF CAMBRIDGE, VASSACHUSETTS.

FDOT-THROTTLE-CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMGBLES.

Application filed February 8, 1923. Serial N o. 617,783.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, PHILIP A. MEANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Foot- Throttle-Controlling Mechanism for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

rThe present invention relates to an inipiovement in foot throttle controlling mechanism for automobiles.

The object of the invention is to reorganize and improve foot throttle controlling mechanism, and to this end the invention consists in the mechanism hereinafter de scribed and particularly defined in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawing Fig. l is a plan of the mechanism; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking from the right hand end of Fig. 2.

ln the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention the throttle push rod 10 rises through the foot board at right angles to the same, s0 that a movement thereof toward the floor board opens the throttle, it being connected below the floor board therewith. The head 11 of the throttle push rod is an inclined plate. By moving the foot laterally across this inclined surface the throttle push rod is depressed and the throttle opened. Mounted on the floor board alongside the throttle push rod is a block 12 provided with a groove 13 at its center, and having two foot rest portions 14e in front of and behind the groove 13. These foot restportions lllr are covered with steel wear plates 15. In the groove 13 is .mounted the foot pusher 16, which is provided with a slide piece 17 which, in turn, is received in the uide 18 so that the foot pusher may slide ack and forth in the guide 18 toward and from` the foot throttle 10. A spring 19 fastened at the left hand end to a cross bar 20 and at its right hand end to the foot pusher 16, normally tends to move the foot pusher to the left. The foot pusher in the position shown in the drawings is at the extreme limit of its right hand movement with the spring 19 under tension. When the foot is removed from the footV rest the spring pulls the foot pusher toward the left u ntil the end of the slide 17 strikes the stop 21, which is shown as a pin inserted in the block adapted to engage the end of the slide 17 and limit its movement. A similar pin 22 at the other end of the slot limits the movement of the foot pusher to the right. The normal operative position, therefore, of the foot pusher is that shown in dotted lines at 23.

In operation the operator places his foot on the left hand end of the foot rest, presses the right hand side of his foot against the foot pusher 16, and moves it to the right, thereby putting the spring 19 under tension. At idling speeds a gentle pressure of the foot on the foot rest will be suiiicient to hold the foot pusher in the position shown in Fig. 2. Now. when the operator desires to open the throttle, he reduces the pressure of his foot on the foot rest, and the foot pusher is thereby allowed to ypush the foot to the left, causing it to be pushed out on the inclined head 11 of the throttle push rod. This depresses the throttle push rod and opens the throttle. By the application of a gentle pressure to the foot, a pressure which ordinarily will not necessarily exceed the weight of the foot on the foot rest, the foot is held from movement, and the throttle is held open to the desired degree without any fluctuation or jumping due to the throwing of the car in passing over irregularities of the road surface. By moving the foot to the right and stretching the spring, the throttle will be allowed to rise, the usual springs being employed which normally tend to maintain the throttle in the position shown in Fig. 2.

So far as l am aware it is broadly new in throttle controlling mechanism to provide means for moving the foot in a direction to open the throttle.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention is a cheap and simple construction, the block 12 being made of wood, and the other parts being of simple material and construction. If desired the mechanism may be entirely constructed in metal, and the invention is not to be considered to be limited to the illustrated embodiment, as it may be made in a wide variety of forms without departure therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Throttle controlling mechanism for automobiles having, in combination, a throttle actuating member provided with an gil inclined heathen-foot rest on one side of thewengage one side oi the foot, and means 'for throttle controllingmember having a loot supporting surta ce located at the level of the lower end of the head of the throttle push rod, a foot pusher movably mounted on the root rest, and-means for actuating,- it topushthe foot of the operator resting on the foot rest inthe*directionv tocngage and press down the throttle push rod.

2. Throttle controlling mechanismV for auotmobiles comprising a throttle push rod provided with an inclined head, a foot pusher, andmeans for moving` it' locatedfadjacent to the inclined head otV the push rod and adapted when pressure on the foot is released to push the ilfoot on the inclined head and thereby to depress the throttle push rod :indopenthe throttle.y

3. Throttle: controlling mechanism lor automobilesV having, in` combination, a throttle controlling memberv provided with an inclined head, a foot pusher adaptedi to actuating the foot pusher to push the foot on the inclined head of the throttle controlling member so as thereby to move it.

l. Throttle controlling` mechanism for automobiles having,- in combination, a throttle controlling member provided with a groove located adjacent to the lower end of the inclined head of the throttle controlling member, a foot pusher slidably mounted in the groove in the block, and a spring connected With the toot pusher andY normally tending to move it toward the headl of the throttlecontrolling member. Y

Throttle controlling mechanism for automobiles having, in combinatiomj a throttle operating member, a foot pusher adjacent thereto, `and means Yfor actuating' the pusher to push the footvin thedirection to actuate the throttle operating member.

FHILH A.V MEANS. 

